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CELEBRATING THE WRITTEN WORD

OPINIO N
Room and board
we can't afford
The Board of Regents is
making bad decisions
from behind closed doors
SEE PAGE 4
ARTS
Pixar prepares to
take flight
Filmmaker Pete Docter
discusses the inspiration
and method behind his
upcoming film 'Up'
SEE PAGE 9
SPORTS
Softball moves
on to Supers
Michigan is just two wins
away from World Series
SEE PAGE 10
INDEX
Vol CXIX, No. 137 |2o09 The Michigan Daily
maichigandailyrcomi
N EW 5.................................. .. 2
OPINION .............................. 4
CLASSIFIED............... 6
A RTS ................................... .. 8
SPORTS ...........................................10

MAX COLLINS/Daily
Clayton Lewis, an employee at the Clements Library, browses through the A. England Books and Ephemera stand at the 31st
annual Ann Arbor Antiquarian Book Fair in the ballroom at the Michigan Union.
Housin grate hike

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U ADMINISTRATION
'U'closes
in on Pfizer
purchase
End of due-diligence
period paves way for
June 16 wrap-up
ByLARA ZADE
Managing NewsEditor
The University's acquisition
of the 174-acre former Pfizer Inc.
Ann Arbor campus that was ini-
tiated in December will be com-
pleted next month.
At Thursday's Board of Re-
gents meetingin Dearborn, Mich.,
Timothy Slottow, the University's
executive vice
president and NOTEBOOK
chief financial
officer, announced that the $108
million purchase will be com-
plete on June 16, after the due-
diligence period - which ensures
that the site complies with state
and federal regulations - ends on
May 18.
Consultants hired by the Uni-
versity to assess the site briefed
the regents on the condition of
the land at the site. The con-
sultants told the regents that
they used methods approved by
American Society Testing Mate-
rials to assess the land and that
the overall condition of the land
is acceptable.
According to Hank Baier, the
University's associate vice presi-
dent for facilities and operations,
the site underwent a radiological
review, specifically testing for ra-
don and asbestos, and there were
See NOTEBOOK, Page 7

Affairs, said that a 3.9-percent in-
Regents approve a crease in room and board rates
translates to an increase of approx-
3.9-percent increase imately $334 a year per student
for a double room with a standard
for next year meal plan.
The room and board rates are
By LARA ZADE comprised of a projected increase
ManagingNews Editor in operating expenses and for the
--- upkeep and repair of residential
At Thursday's Board of Regents facilities for current and future stu-
meeting, the Regents approved the dents.
residence hall room and board rates Operating expenses, like higher
for the 2009-2010 academic year. costs for utilities, food supplies and
Students living in residence halls employee benefits, are responsible
will pay an average of 3.9 percent for a 1.9-percent increase. The up-
more for student housing next year keep and repair of residential fa-
than in the 2008-2009 school year. cilities for current and future stu-
E. Royster Harper, the vice dents, coined as the Residential
president of the Office of Student Life Initiatives, will cost 2 percent

more this year, leading to the total
3.9-percent increase.
The RLI, which is the Division
of Student Affairs' master planning
process for student housing and
dining, was established in 2003
and includes renovations such as
upgraded fire alarm and suppres-
sion systems throughout residence
halls, technology improvements
and replacing deficient facilities
infrastructure - electrical, plumb-
ing, heating and ventilation sys-
tems.
University President Mary Sue
Coleman said that the increase in
room and board rates is unavoid-
able due to the increasing cost of
maintaining residence hall facili-
See REGENTS, Page 7